Sorting
and Stowing Rope.
Whaling expeditions required miles of the finest
quality ropes and here they are on a factory ship on its way to
Antarctica being sorted out. Ropes are used primarily by the
catcher boats to attach to the harpoons and haul the captured
whales in with. If the ropes are not up to standard, then the
whale will be lost and the whole enterprise pointless, so great
care and expense is spent on the correct choice, purchase and
handling of the ropes.
Before reaching the whaling grounds, the ropes
must be divided up and stowed aboard the catcher boats so each is
always ready to catch the next whale and doesn't waste any time on
unprepared rope.